NBA.com News: New York 93, Indiana 90


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      New York 93, Indiana 90



      INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker)  Patrick Ewing showed up after Rik Smits 
      disappeared.
      Ewing scored six of his 16 points down the stretch and the New York Knicks 
      again opened a playoff series with a stunning road win, rallying for a 
      93-90 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

             Latrell Sprewell floated his way to 16 points in New York's Game 1 
            victory over Indiana. (Jennifer Pottheiser/NBA Photos) 


      Hampered by Achilles tendon and rib injuries, Ewing had trouble defending 
      the 7-foot-4 Smits, who overcame his own slow start to score eight points 
      in a 2-minute span, helping Indiana take an 87-82 lead with 2:20 
      remaining. 
      Scoreless since early in the third quarter, Ewing responded with a finger 
      roll around Smits, who fouled out 36 seconds later as Allan Houston's two 
      free throws made it a one-point game. 
      "I was happy to see him go," Ewing said.
      "I didn't know that was the sixth foul on Smits but that's a big play," 
      Houston said. "It was pretty key when we got him out of the game." 
      Working against the smaller Antonio Davis, Ewing drew a foul and made two 
      free throws with 51 seconds left. Mark Jackson tied it by making 1-of-2 
      foul shots but Ewing rebounded the miss and was fouled by Davis. He made 
      two more foul shots with 29 seconds left, putting the Knicks ahead for 
      good at 90-88.
      "Patrick was huge today," Houston said. "He gave us every ounce of energy 
      he had. For him to come out and hit those big free throws, you just can't 
      say enough about that." 
      Long-time Knicks-killer Reggie Miller missed a 3-pointer and Chris Childs 
      made two foul shots with 12 seconds to go. 
      "It was a good look," said Miller, who was 1-of-4 from 3-point range. 
      "Both Allan and Patrick stepped out, but in my standards, it was a good 
      look. 
      "Rik was kind of rolling the last few minutes. If he had been in there we 
      probably would have run a different set with a two-man game with myself 
      and Rik." 
      Davis dunked and Childs split a pair of free throws, giving the Pacers one 
      more chance. But Jackson shot an airball from the corner with his foot on 
      the arc.
      Houston scored 19 points and Latrell Sprewell added 16 for New York, the 
      first eighth-seeded team to reach the conference finals. For the third 
      straight series, the Knicks began with a road win, immediately setting a 
      tone.
      Miller scored 19 points for the Pacers, who lost for the first time in 
      eight playoff games. Indiana had won 12 straight home postseason games in 
      the last two years under coach Larry Bird.

             Patrick Ewing and Latrell Sprewell celebrate New York's Game 1 
            victory over Indiana. (AP Photo) 


      It was a rough game for Jackson, a New York native and former Knick. 
      Although he had 11 assists, he made just 1-of-8 shots, missing a pair of 
      short hooks and a free throw after Indiana opened its late lead and 
      dribbling into the corner on the final possession.
      The Knicks have won six straight playoff games. Game 2 is Tuesday at 
      Indiana.
      "Indiana is a good team. You can't exhale," Houston said. "This is just 
      one game. You have to win four to advance." 
      "We've been a good road team all along, but first and foremost, we've got 
      to get Tuesday's game," Miller said. 
      Despite six days off, Ewing still appeared slow. He made only 4 of 13 
      shots but battled for 10 rebounds and sank all eight of his free throws. 
      He went scoreless for 18:14 in the second half.
      "Every miss has been real chronicled. And every make has been overlooked," 
      Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said of his superstar. "He played big minutes 
      tonight and he may be a little fatigued."
      "I'm all banged up," Ewing said. "I hurt my shoulder and I got a knee to 
      the quad."
      Smits struggled throughout, entering the fourth quarter with four points 
      and four fouls. But his jump hook capped a 13-6 surge and pulled Indiana 
      into a 78-78 tie with 4:46 to play.

            "Indiana is a good team. You can't exhale. This is just one game. 
            You have to win four to advance." 
             Knicks guard Allan Houston

      Houston made a free throw but Miller buried a 3-pointer and Smits hit a 
      jumper from the foul line for an 83-79 lead with 3 minutes left. Childs, 
      suffering from a stomach virus, hit a 3-pointer, but Smits made another 
      jumper and a pair of free throws.
      Larry Johnson scored 15 points for the Knicks, who shot 43 percent 
      (31-of-72) from the field, including 6-of-12 from the arc. Davis had 17 
      points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who shot 44 percent (33-of-75) 
      and held a 41-39 rebounding edge.
      Jackson's only basket came as part of a three-point play with 4:47 left in 
      the first quarter, giving Indiana a 13-11 lead. Sprewell, whose bench play 
      has energized the Knicks throughout the postseason, came on and scored a 
      pair of baskets in a 10-0 burst.
      New York led 25-21 after one period but went scoreless for more than five 
      minutes. A jumper by Jalen Rose gave Indiana a 26-25 lead with 7:50 left 
      but the Knicks regained the advantage for the rest of the half at 34-32 on 
      a 3-pointer by Johnson with 4:40 to go.
      The Knicks held an 18-5 advantage in fast-break points in the first half. 
      "In the first half we made a lot of mistakes," Bird said. "We gave up a 
      lot of fast-break points. We can't do that. We want to play in a 
      half-court game." 
      The Pacers trailed 44-40 at halftime but Chris Mullin, who was scoreless 
      in the first half, hit a jumper and 3-pointer in a burst that opened the 
      third quarter and gave Indiana a 49-48 lead with 8:45 remaining.
      Sprewell again came off the bench and spraked the Knicks. He scored six 
      points in a 17-8 run that closed the period and gave New York a 70-63 
      lead. Indiana shot no free throws in the quarter. 
       

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            VIDEO
            Spurs at Pacers (W, 93-90) 
            See complete Game 1 highlights.
            28.8+ | ISDN+ 
            Pacers vs. Knicks (L, 90-93) 
            Dale Davis drives the baseline, rises and slams it down over New 
            York's Patrick Ewing.
            911k avi | QuickTime 
            Knicks at Pacers (W, 93-90) 
            Larry Johnson works on both ends of the break -- getting the rebound 
            to start it and taking the feed from Allan Houston on the other end 
            to finish it.
            949k avi | QuickTime 
            Pacers vs. Knicks (L, 90-93) 
            Reggie Miller shows why he's one of the game's most dangerous 
            shooters as he nails the catch-and-shoot jumper from just inside the 
            arc.
            883k avi | QuickTime 






